LUNARIA

Lunaria had never enjoyed the pomp and ceremony of the Great Hall's Welcoming Feast. There was always too much noise, too many eyes darting around, and far too much attention on everyone and everything. It was an environment she typically avoided. Ballrooms and Gala's were easier, it was more refined, access to information and secrets easier to come by. But the first feast of the year? Way too loud. Lunaria preferred the shadows, listening to the whispered exchanges that most never noticed. But tonight, she made a conscious decision that surprised even herself for a brief moment: she walked straight past her old spot on the Slytherin table after waving goodbye to Clarice and took the empty seat next to Regulus Black.

The boy's eyes widened, just for a moment, before he masked the surprise with his usual cool indifference. Yet she caught the flicker of curiosity in those grey eyes, the faintest tug at the corner of his mouth. He was perplexed but unmistakably pleased by her choice. She allowed herself a small, secret smile in return.

As soon as Lunaria settled beside him, Dumbledore rose to give his traditional speech after the sorting hat concluded, but something about his tone was different this year. It was no secret that his speeches had grown darker, more forewarning each year, but this had to be the most glum one yet. The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as he spoke, his words dripping with a sense of urgency and darkness.

"This year, as you all know, is more challenging than any other. Darkness stirs beyond these walls, and fear whispers into the hearts of many. But remember this, Hogwarts is a sanctuary, and as long as you are here, you are safe. Light will always prevail. Good will always triumph."

The air felt thick with tension, and Lunaria could see that some of the first years looked more terrified than reassured. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Safe? Light? She had seen more darkness than most here could fathom, had been marked by it, forced to serve it. If Dumbledore thought that good and light would save them all, in her eyes, they were all colossally fucked. The world wasn't as simple as good versus evil, and Dumbledore's words, though no doubt meant to comfort, felt hollow. But she kept her thoughts to herself, burying them deep where they belonged, and turned her attention back to the table.

Dorcas Meadowes, one of Regulus' closest friends, was staring at her with a guarded expression. Her dark eyes narrowed slightly, as if she were trying to figure Lunaria out, deciphering the sudden presence of this girl who so quietly and randomly slipped into their midst. Lunaria met her gaze calmly, allowing herself to be scrutinised without giving anything away.

"This is Dorcas," Regulus said, gesturing casually. "Dorcas, this is Lunaria Reed."

Dorcas tilted her head slightly, a wry smile touching her lips. "So you're the one Clarice always talks about when she graces up with her presence."

Lunaria offered a faint smile of her own, keeping her tone light. "I suppose I am."

"Welcome to the table," Dorcas said, though her voice lacked warmth. "It's nice to finally put a face to the name. In all the years we've been housemates I can't say I've ever seen you. How strange."

As if sensing Dorcas' words packed a undertone with a bite, Regulus reached beneath the table and gently squeezed her hand. The gesture was brief, almost imperceptible, but it warmed her all the same. She glanced at him, and for a split second their eyes locked. Another unspoken moment passed between them as a small smile graced her face as she thought that maybe unspoken moments and gestures were becoming their thing. His attentiveness left a peculiar thud in her chest as she turned her attention back to the table.

As the food appeared on the table, the conversation turned lighter, and Lunaria let herself fade into the background, observing as she always did. Barty was in the middle of an animated story about a particularly chaotic summer holiday, and Evan, who she'd noticed over the years was usually incredibly reserved, was laughing along, eyes gleaming with genuine amusement and a fondness Lunaria noted didn't appear when he looked at Regulus and Dorcas. Speaking of Dorcas, despite the girl being hesitant moments ago, now she took centre stage, launching into her own tale of adventure.

"You wouldn't believe it," Dorcas was saying, her voice full of excitement. "It was a three-step plan, meticulously thought out, mind you. The first step was getting Marlene to notice me. No easy feat, considering she'd always been surrounded by the rest of her friends."

"She's a Gryffindor right? In your year?" Evan asked, raising an eyebrow at the older girl.

Dorcas nodded, her grin widening. "Oh, yes. But that just makes it more of a challenge doesn't it? Step two involved a rather impressive display of Quidditch skill. I made sure she saw me take out two Bludgers in one go. By the end of it she couldn't take her eyes off of me."

"And what's step three?" Barty asked, leaning forward eagerly.

Dorcas smirked. "I'm still working on that. But by the end of this year, Marlene McKinnon will be mine. Mark my words. I will be leaving Hogwarts with Marlene on my arm and her love in my heart."

The group laughed and for the briefest of moments, Lunaria felt a pang of something akin to envy. They all fit together so easily, the bonds between them so clear and strong. She had Clarice and wouldn't change her for the world, but sometimes her world felt suffocatingly small. But even as she thought it, she could feel Regulus' gaze on her, and she knew that despite her tendency and desire to remain hidden, she would no longer be able to hide, at least not by him.

As the feast ended and the students began to disperse, the group made their way back to the Slytherin common room. Lunaria hung back, letting the others drift ahead, her eyes trailing over the familiar stone walls and green tapestries.

When they arrived at the common room, she instinctively found herself moving towards the bookshelf, her fingers grazing over the spines of well-worn and loved books. This little corner was her sanctuary, the place where she could blend into the shadows and disappear.

But before she could immerse herself in the familiar comfort of pages and tales tall and not-so-true, Regulus called her name. "Lunaria, come joining us."

She hesitated, torn between her desire to retreat and the unfamiliar warmth of his invitation. But something in his voice drew her forward, and she found herself sitting beside him for the third time that day and the fourth time that week. The others didn't seem to notice the small exchange, too wrapped up in their own conversations.

Gradually, Barty, Evan and Dorcas began to drift away to their dormitories, the boys giving Regulus a wink on their way up. Soon, only Lunaria and Regulus remained, and a comfortable silence settled between them.

"Your friends are... interesting," she said softly, her gaze following them until they disappeared from view.

"They are," Regulus agreed, though his tone suggested he wasn't interested in talking about them. He shifted closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "We need to talk about... Red-Eye."

Lunaria quickly deducted that he was discussing their shared task and leaned in as well, her eyes darting around to ensure they were truly alone. "I've been thinking about it. If we are to gather information, we need to be smart about it. We both know there is no room for error here."

"We'll need to be subtle. Use any and all connections carefully. The wrong move could draw attention which is precisely what we don't want."

"There are always whispers," Lunaria murmured. "Students talk, even when they think they are being careful. We started by listening, by blending in. No one expects us to work together. Barely anyone even knows who I am. It's our greatest advantage."

"Agreed," he replied, his voice filled with determination. "We'll take it slow, gather what we can without raising suspicion. We can only hope Red-Eye isn't expecting miracles and for us to have anything substantial any time soon."

For a moment, they lingered in silence, sat so close they could feel each other's bodies move with each breath as the unspoken weight of their task hung above them. Then almost on impulse, Lunaria reached into her bag and pulled out a sleek black book. "Here," she said, pressing it into his hands. "To Kill a Mockingbird."

Regulus blinked, surprised. "Why this?"

"Because it's a story I think you'll find intriguing. You want to understand more about the side of the world you are unfamiliar with, correct?" She asked in a coded and subtle way, smiling softly when Regulus nodded slowly in understanding. "It's a tale about understanding others, even those you think you're different from. It's not always easy, but sometimes, seeing the world through someone else's eyes is the only way to make sense of it."

He stared at the cover: Magic for the Darkest Souls, and flipped to the first page seeing the title she stated so clearly. He stared for a long moment before meeting her gaze. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," she replied, standing and straightening her skirt. "Just be careful with it, if it falls into the hands of someone adequate at charms they'll see its true contents, which for obvious reasons wouldn't be good for you."

A faint smile touched his lips. "I'll be careful."

With that, she gave him one last glance before slipping away into the shadows, as silent and unnoticed as she had always been. But as she walked away, she felt Regulus' eyes on her, and for the first time in a long while, she didn't mind being seen. 

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

The first week of term passed in a blur, the routine of Hogwarts settling over the castle like a familiar, worn cloak. Lunaria moved through the hallways with practised ease, blending into the walls and concrete floors. One afternoon she found herself lingering near an alcove in the courtyard, pretending to be absorbed in a book, when she caught wind of Marlene McKinnon and Dorcas Meadowes in a private conversation.

"...I mean I can certainly raise it to him." Marlene's voice was low, hushed in a way that piqued Lunaria's interest. "But this is serious Dorky. You cannot tell anyone."

"I swear on my magic Marls." Dorcas promised, wrapping her pinky around the blondes.

Marlene huffed but didn't say anymore, clearly thinking Dorcas' words over. Lunaria's pulse quickened, the worlds slotting into her mental archive for later review. Before she could listen anymore a pair of heavy arms landed across her shoulders, dragging her away from her eavesdropping.

"Luna, you won't believe it!" Barty exclaimed, pulling her into step with him and Evan, both clearly delighted by whatever they'd just witnessed. This had been happening more and more over the past week, the two pulling Lunaria into their conversations and dragging her around the castle with tales of their time in Hogwarts, eager to catch her up on their lives - well Barty did, Evan and Regulus generally stayed quite quiet, laughing at the appropriate times. "A student in our Divination class fainted! Like actually fainted! Just dropped like a sack of cauldron cakes! Swears he saw something terrible in his cup!"

"Pathetic, really," Evan added with a smirk. "Some people just don't have the stomach for predictions."

Lunaria smiled faintly, allowing herself to be pulled away from Marlene and Dorcas, their conversation slipping into the background as she pretended to focus and engage with Barty and Evan's retelling of the drama. Still, she tucked away what she'd heard, making a mental note to revisit when the time was right. One thing was clear though, Dorcas cannot under any circumstances find out about the new ink both she and Regulus wore. Dorcas' loyalties weren't with them.

-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Later that evening, the library was nearly empty, the fading light casting long shadows across the rows of bookshelves. Lunaria sat at her usual table, a nook hidden behind a towering bookshelf in the farthest corner of the library, pouring over a text on ancient defensive spells.

She felt him before she saw him. A pull that was becoming familiar, like a thread connecting them, tugging at her chest. Regulus appeared in front of her table, his expression intense as always, a copy of the book she'd lent him the week before clutched in his hand. He practically threw it down on the table in front of her, startling her from her reading.

"Why did you give me this?" he demanded, but there was a spark of intrigue in his eyes.

"Why did you read it?" she countered, a small smirk on her lips.

Regulus ran a hand through his jet black hair in frustration, trying to piece together his thoughts. Lunaria suddenly wished it were her own hands running through his hair, admiring the way his brows crinkled in concentration as he organised his opinion. "It's... it's infuriating, that's why! The way they treated Tom Robinson, the absolute injustice of it all. And Atticus- he's brilliant, but he's fighting a losing battle. Why? Why would you show me that?" His voice softened, but there was a raw edge to it, an unspoken need to understand.

Lunaria watched him, an unexpected warmth filling her chest. "Because," she said slowly, "sometimes fighting the losing battle is the only way to win in the end. It's about doing what's right, even if it seems hopeless."

"I suppose there's something admirable about the way Atticus stood up for what he believed in, even when the entire town was against him... it's something I don't think I've ever seen in our world." Regulus admitted lowly, drumming his fingers against the table thoughtfully.

"And what do you believe in Regulus?" Lunaria asked carefully.

He paused, his face almost pained in uncertainty as Lunaria studied him. There was something deeply satisfying about seeing him so invested in willing to be open and challenge the beliefs that were drilled into him all his life. "I... I don't know."

"It's not always easy to go against the grain. Especially when everyone and everything else around you is telling you otherwise. But your decisions don't define your entire life. Despite all that has happened to you and I in recent times, we still have the power to decide our fate." Lunaria pondered out loud.

She refused to let the mark she bore dictate her life. Sure, she was essentially bound to the dark side, but she was determined to use that for good. The secrets and stories she'd learn would make her powerful, make her knowledgeable. She wasn't about to become a spy, but she could and would do something with that power, when the opportunity presented itself.

Regulus looked up at her sharply, a glimmer of understanding passing between them. "I suppose you know a thing or two about that." Lunaria simply smiled at him. "What else have you got?" He asked suddenly. "I want to read more. There's something about the way Muggles see the world... It's different. But it's not entirely wrong."

Amused, she leaned forward. "You're insatiable, you know that?"

"And you're avoiding my question," he shot back, an almost smirk on his lips. "What else do you have for me?"

"1984," she offered, watching his reaction carefully. "It's about a world where the government controls everything, even the way people think. It's dark, but there's a lot of truth in it. Parallels to our world you might say."

His eyes lit up with intrigue and Lunaria wished she had a camera to capture the look as he leaned forward, as if drawn in by her words. "Dark, you say? I'll take it."

Lunaria chuckled and muttered a spell, the book flying into her opened hand. "Here, I expect a full review, Regulus."

"You're insufferable." He replied, rolling his eyes as he held out an arm for her.

"I've been called worse," she replied with a smile, slipping her arm through his. They began their walk back to the Slytherin common room as curfew began to close in, the silence between them comfortable, like an old friend.

"So," he began tentatively, breaking the quiet. "How did you get into Muggle literature? You're pureblood after all, and your parents clearly don't have much care for it."

She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, noting the genuine curiosity in his tone. "My grandfather on my mother's side," she said after a moment. "He was fascinated by Muggle culture, used to bring back books, trinkets, even a radio once. I suppose I inherited that curiosity."

He nodded, as if trying to reconcile this new piece of information with what he already knew of her. "Wasn't he... judged for that?"

"Oh absolutely," she laughed softly, a sound that echoed through the empty corridors. "My mother would go on these tirades about how he was 'tainting the bloodline with nonsense.' But he didn't care though. He always said knowledge was the greatest form of power, and why limit oneself to just one source?"

"Smart man," Regulus muttered almost to himself. "You're lucky to have known him."

"I was," she agreed, a wistful look on her face as fond memories with her grandfather danced across her mind. "He passed away a few years ago. Left me all his books and trinkets. It's my little way of keeping him with me. Even if they all have to be locked in a trunk."

Regulus fell silent, absorbing her words. She felt herself grow nervous, it was rare for her to open up with anyone other than Clarice and yet with Regulus it felt as easy as breathing.

"You know," he began, a little hesitantly, "I've never really thought about Muggles as anything other than... less. But this- you-" he gestured vaguely with his free hand, "- it's making me think a lot. About whether there may be some errors in my thoughts."

"It's okay to question things," Lunaria said quietly. "It's how we grow. If we never changed, the world would be incredibly boring and linear."

They reached the entrance to the common room, and Regulus paused, looking at her. Lunaria felt that his gaze was burning through her, like he was truly seeing her for the first time. "Thank you," he said, and she could tell he meant it.

"For what?"

"For lending me books and... teaching me."

She shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. "We're in this together, Regulus. I'm not done with you yet."

"Good," he replied, lips curling into a genuine smile, causing Lunaria's breath to escape her. He was beautiful and the words he spoke matched. "Because I think I'd like to see what other worlds you have to show me."

Catching herself staring she snapped out of it with a chuckle, "Wait until I introduce you to Muggle music," she teased, and his eyes lit up in that curious way that made her chest feel fuzzy.

"You think I'm ready for that?"

"Not even close," she grinned. "But you'll get there."

With one last look, they slipped into the common room, the firelight casting shadows on their faces. In that moment, they weren't two teenage Death Eaters. They were just two souls, finding solace in each other's company, and in the words that bound them together.